Dead workers accused for Gazipur boiler blast

The police have sued ten unidentified persons, and three staff who lost their lives in the boiler explosion in Multifabs Ltd. Thirteen people died in the explosion last Monday, and it was to be expected that the police would act immediately. But, to ignore all the other information available, and take the shortest route by suing the operators for turning on the boiler is not only ridiculous, but as families of the victims fear, raises questions whether those responsible would be brought to justice.

We know that the disaster could have been avoided. A machine may malfunction at any time, but in this case, it was kept running even after 9 days of its expiry period. Even if the argument is made that it would be difficult to assume that a mishap would occur so soon after the date of expiry, it still does not in any way justify blaming the workers. If anything, it was the duty of the management to replace it well before it reached its expiry.

The management is claiming that the operators were asked to only work in the day—as if it was the time of running the boilers which caused the explosion. A factory cannot run, as it was on the day, without the knowledge and direction of the authorities. The case is not only disrespectful to the lives lost, but also an attempt to divert the course of justice. Blaming the workers for their deaths is an odious attempt to hide the negligence of labour rights and factory safety. Would it be remiss to ask why the workers, and not those who are responsible for the safety of workers, are being charged?